METHOD OF APPLICATION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER

METHODE D'APPLICATION D'ENGRAIS ORGANIQUE

English Abstract

A method of application of organic fertilizer. In
accordance with the teachings of this method plant matter is
dehydrated and pelletized to form fertilizer pellets. The
fertilizer pellets are then spread on soil. When the fertilizer
pellets are hydrated, the fertilizer pellets release nutrients
into the soil. This form of organic fertilizer is easy to
handle and has a higher concentration of nutrients than other
fertilizers made from plant matter.

Claims

5
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A Method of Application of Organic Fertilizer, comprising
the steps of:
dehydrating forage plant matter;
pelletizing the dehyrated forage plant matter, without
rehydrating or adding chemical additives that would be harmful
to animals if ingested, to form fertilizer pellets; and
spreading the fertilizer pellets on soil, such that when
the fertilizer pellets are hydrated said fertilizer pellets
release nutrients into the soil.
2. A Method of Application of Organic Fertilizer, comprising
the steps of:
dehydrating forage plant matter;
pelletizing the dehydrated forage plant matter, without
rehydrating or adding chemical additives that would be harmful
to animals if ingested, to form fertilizer pellets;
blending fertilizer pellets made from differing types of
forgage plant matter to form a blend of fertilizer pellets with
a desired mix of nutrients; and
spreading the fertilizer pellets on soil, such that when
the fertilizer pellets are hydrated said fertilizer pellets
release the nutrients into the soil.
3. A Method of Application of Organic Fertilizer, comprising
the steps of:
blending differing types of forage plant matter to obtain
a desired mix of nutrients;
dehydrating the forage plant matter;
pelletizing the dehydrated forage plant matter, without
rehydrating or adding chemical additives that would be harmful
to animals if ingested, to form fertilizer pellets; and
spreading the fertilizer pellets on soil, such that when
the fertilizer pellets are hydrated said fertilizer pellets
release the nutrients into the soil.

Description

CA 02268441 1999-04-09
1
TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Method of Application of Organic Fertilizer
NAME ( S ) OF INVENTOR ( S )
Samuel Friedrich Lentz
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an organic fertilizer and
a method of application of the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Care is required in handling and applying chemical
fertilizers in order to avoid environmental damage, poisoning
of wildlife and chemical induced illness to agricultural
workers. There are well documented instances in which the
requisite care was not exercised, with disastrous results. As
a result, there is a movement toward organic fertilizers.
Two common forms of organic fertilizer are manure and
plant matter compost. Both are difficult to handle. A further
inherent disadvantage with manure is that it tends to be host
to weed seeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is an alternative form of organic
fertilizer and a convenient method of applying the same.
According to the present invention there is provided a
method of application of organic fertilizer. In accordance
with the teachings of this method plant matter is dehydrated
and pelletized to form fertilizer pellets. The fertilizer
pellets are then spread on soil. When the fertilizer pellets
are hydrated, the fertilizer pellets release nutrients into the
soil.
The method of application of organic fertilizer, as
described above, has numerous advantages. Pelletized plant

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matter is easy to handle. The pellets are not hazardous to
wildlife; wildlife can eat them and not be harmed. The pellets
will not "burn" or in any way harm the soil, even if applied
excessively. When water is added the pellets expand and fall
apart. As will hereinafter be documented, the pellets contain
a concentration of nutrients, in greater quantities than plant
matter compost.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the
use of the invention, as described above, even more beneficial
results may be obtained when the plant matter is blended,
either before or after dehydration and pelletization, to
provide a blend of plant matter that has nutrients particularly
suited for a desired application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram of a method of application of
organic fertilizer in accordance with the teachings of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a method of application of
organic fertilizer generally identified by reference numeral
10, will now be described with reference to FIGURE 1.
Referring to FIGURE 1, method of application of organic
fertilizer 10 includes the steps of preparing said fertilizer
10 and applying said fertilizer 10 to a soil 12 to provide
nutrients for the growth of vegetation 14 from seeds 16.
Fertilizer 10 is prepared from a first plant matter 18.
A composition of fertilizer 10 is adjustable by blending first
plant matter 18 with a second plant matter 20, to provide a
desired mix of nutrients. In a first embodiment of method of

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preparation of fertilizer 10, a blend of first plant matter 18
and second plant matter 20 is dehydrated in a dehydrator 22.
In a second embodiment of method of preparation of fertilizer
10, indicated by dashed arrows in FIGURE 1, first plant matter
18 is dehydrated in dehydrator 22 and blended with dehydrated
matter 24 derived by separate dehydration of second plant
matter 20 in a parallel process stream 26 to provide a desired
mix of nutrients.
The blend of dehydrated first plant matter 18 and
dehydrated second plant matter 20 so formed is fed to a
pelletizer 28 in which it is formed into pellets 30.
Pellets 30 of fertilizer 10 are spread onto a surface 32
of soil 12 from one of several kinds of mechanical spreader 34.
When rain or irrigation water 36 falls onto soil 12, pellets
30 are hydrated and disintegrate into a dissipated material 38,
thereby releasing the nutrients in fertilizer 10. Nutrients
released from dissipated material 38 by water 36 are carried
by said water 36 into soil 12 as indicated by arrows 40,
thereby providing the nutrients to seeds 16 and promoting the
growth of plants 14 from seeds 16.
PARAMETER Alfallg Compost'Agri- Cattlo Manuro
ROL Sun to iioost"Olds Colle
c
Total Nitrogen % 1.3b 2.81 1.22
2 TOtAI Phosphorus "/0 0.223 0.43 0.59
5
TotAl PotASSium /" 2.02 2.67 1.64
Cnltium % 4.49 1.43 2.47
Magnesium % 1.23 0.34 0.51
Sodium % 0.09 0.13 0.22
Total Organic Matter % Z9.4 91.0 59.0
Av~titt~blC Organic Ntsttcr17.3 --- 42.30
%
3 Total Carbon % 1 h.3 60.50 31.20
0
Carbon/Nitrogcn Ratio 1?..(1 21.53 25.57
Electrical Conductivity 36,6 46.61 37.97
mS/cm
SAR o.9R 2.6 3.4
pH R,12 6.30 $.10
Moisture Content % 40.4 4.92 66.70
Ash ~/0 70.6 9.(13 41.00
35
An example of a composition of fertilizer 10 has been
prepared under the trade name "Agri-Boost" and is shown in

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Table 1. The example of composition of fertilizer 10 is
prepared by dehydration of a blend of alfalfa. A comparison
of the composition of the example of fertilizer 10 with
compositions of alfalfa compost and cattle manure is found in
Table 1. The composition of fertilizer 10 is much higher in
nutrients and much lower in moisture and ash than either first
alfalfa compost or cattle manure. Further, fertilizer 10 has
a pH value that is close to neutral or is very weakly acidic,
whereas alfalfa compost and cattle manure each has a pH value
that is weakly basic. The composition of fertilizer 10 is
adjustable by altering the proportions of first plant matter
18 and second plant matter 20 from which fertilizer 10 is
prepared as described above.
The fertilizer, as described above, has been found to be
particularly useful in reconditioning soil. This is
alternatively referred to as soil amendment, soil restoration,
or soil refurbishing. It is necessary where there has been an
overuse of chemical fertilizers or where other factors have
caused a ph imbalance. When the pellets are exposed to
moisture, such as through rainfall, they expand to form a
ground cover. This ground cover retards the rate at which the
sun draws moisture from the soil. When intermixed with the
soil, the ground cover serves as a compost and adds fibre to
the soil. The pellets, as described above, are much easier to
handle than any other natural alternatives. They pose no
danger to wildlife. Wildlife can eat the pellets with no
harmful side effects.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.

Representative Drawing